odd anomaly on mars, not a rock

Just browsing through the newest Mars curiosity pics and noticed this.


I don't really know what could have caused this and thought it was worth discussing.

I just thought it looked weird. And hey it is not a rock .

mars.jpl.nasa.gov...

1st thing that came to mind, footprint from this li'l guy?

a reply to: alienjuggalo

Looks like a plateau of some sorts...

originally posted by: alienjuggalo
Just browsing through the newest Mars curiosity pics and noticed this.

I don't really know what could have caused this and thought it was worth discussing.

I just thought it looked weird. And hey it is not a rock .

mars.jpl.nasa.gov...

I think this is the area that they just brushed off so that they could examine it better?

a reply to: amazing

You are correct:
mars.jpl.nasa.gov...

They also had some fun here:
mars.jpl.nasa.gov...

originally posted by: amazing

originally posted by: alienjuggalo
Just browsing through the newest Mars curiosity pics and noticed this.

I don't really know what could have caused this and thought it was worth discussing.

I just thought it looked weird. And hey it is not a rock .

mars.jpl.nasa.gov...

I think this is the area that they just brushed off so that they could examine it better?

That is what I was wondering. I guess it is the only good explanation.

This photo beamed back from Mars on Aug. 17 (sol 722 of the mission) shows the circular scrub marks created by the rover’s robotic arm-mounted Dust Removal Tool — a metal brush used to remove surface dust from rocks in preparation for drilling and sampling. Cleaning a patch around 2.5 inches wide, mission scientists are deciding whether this rock — dubbed “Bonanza King” — should now be drilled into and sampled by Curiosity’s on-board chemistry lab.

Curiosity Scrubs Mars Rock, Possible Drilling Target

a reply to: amazing

I think you're right probably interested in that shiny vein looking anomoly.

originally posted by: LeatherNLace

This photo beamed back from Mars on Aug. 17 (sol 722 of the mission) shows the circular scrub marks created by the rover’s robotic arm-mounted Dust Removal Tool — a metal brush used to remove surface dust from rocks in preparation for drilling and sampling. Cleaning a patch around 2.5 inches wide, mission scientists are deciding whether this rock — dubbed “Bonanza King” — should now be drilled into and sampled by Curiosity’s on-board chemistry lab.

Curiosity Scrubs Mars Rock, Possible Drilling Target

Well there ya go. solved lol

originally posted by: alienjuggalo
Just browsing through the newest Mars curiosity pics and noticed this.

I don't really know what could have caused this and thought it was worth discussing.

I just thought it looked weird. And hey it is not a rock .

mars.jpl.nasa.gov...

I could also suggest that the picture was manipulated prior to publishing it online...for example:

I've been going through some of the images and I find it kinda cool that some of the landscapes photographed look like debris field where structures may have once been.

Some good photos on there.

Martian football field???
And of course everyone knows the meaning of a smiley face.
Take me to your leader....

Please.

a reply to: alienjuggalo

Nice eye, thank you.

Intriguingly looking capture.

originally posted by: sheepslayer247
I've been going through some of the images and I find it kinda cool that some of the landscapes photographed look like debris field where structures may have once been.

Some good photos on there.

Yeah, I saw several straight lines and possible 90° corners.

The culprit:



The brushed area is about 2.5 inches (6 centimeters) across. It reveals thin, white, cross-cutting veins. They might be sulfate salts or another type of mineral that precipitated out of solution and filled fractures in the rock. These thin veins might be related to wider light-toned veins and features in the surrounding rock.
www.astrowatch.net...

The beautiful vein detail from MAHLI camera (white-balanced, contrast-enhanced and sharpened):

mars.jpl.nasa.gov...
Could be gypsum or a related type of mineral, deposited by water.